The question leading to the making of the film is a simple one: "Why do British girls stop cycling?"

"By simply asking this basic question, the film reveals the damage that has been done by 50 years of car-centric transport policies. Whilst we fill our lives with debates about risk assessment, cycle helmets, cycle training and marketing strategies to try to persuade people to cycle more, the basic barriers to cycling remain untouched - generous urban planning towards the car, and the resultant poor motorist behaviour towards cyclists. Is it any wonder that most people find cycling unattractive in the UK, but attractive in cycling-friendly towns and cities? It's the infrastructure, stupid!""

The film follows two groups of young women from Darlington and Bremen, Germany. Between them, they discover what makes - and stops - teenage girls from cycling. The full DVD is available from www.bikebeauty.org.

Brilliant stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing the full version. Thanks to Kim for the link.

13 comments:

I watched this trailer through and was so pleased how confidently and 'switched on' the girls portrayed themselves. It's just so nice to see a positive representation of young people for once.

The Darlington cycling project has been a fascinating one, of which this documentary is the most interesting element.

What I like so much is just the plain old logic of it all - these girls know what they need to get on their bikes and, well, now they're asking for it. The ball is in your court Darlington Council! Build those bike lanes! Or, as one of the girls so eloquently put it "If drivers could find it in their hearts just to give us a little bit of their space..."

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.